Cultivator.



EDWARD LAVOIE, OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS.

CULTIVATOR.

menses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22. 1912.

Patented Mar. 2st, 1914i. Serial No. 692,344,

To all 307mm it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD LAvoIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kanlrahee, in the county of Kanlvakee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cultivator-s having pivoted axles which are controlled by foot-levers.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary hand-operated device controlling the axles, and to this end the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure '1 is a front elevation of a cultivator, partly in section. provided with the hand-operated controlling device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the device.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the two supporting Wheels of the machine. The axle of each wheel is carried by a casting 6 having a vertical pivot con nection with a bracket 7 carried by the main frame of the machine. To the casting 6 is connected a steering lever 8 provided with a foot piece 9. The casting 6 is connected by an arm 10 to a transverse connecting bar 11, by means of which a simultaneous move ment of the axles is produced. These parts, as well as the cultivator beams and other de tails of the machine, are constructed and arranged in the ordinary manner, and nothing is claimed with respect thereto, in view of which, a further description of the same is deemed unnecessary.

The main frame of the machine carries a pair of laterally spaced, rearwardly extend ing seat-supporting bars 12, at the rear ends of which the drivers seat 13 is secured. Between the seat-bars, in front of the seat, is rigidly bolted, or otherwise fastened, a bearing block let in which is journaled a vertical steering shaft 15 having its upper end fitted with a steering wheel 16. On the bottom of the steering shaft is fastened, or formed integral therewith, a steering arm 17 which extends in diametrically opposite direct1ons laterally from the shaft. The extremities of the arm are connected by links 18 to the lever 8, one of the links being connected to the lever of one of the axles and the other link to the lover of the other axle. It will therefore be evident that the axles may be shifted about by operating the steering wheel 16, the rotary movement of the shaft 15 being transmitted by the arm 17 and the links 18 to the lever 8. The wheels can also be swung around by the operators foot in the usual manner.

By the hand-operated steering device herein described, steered without the operator using his feet. The device is extremely simple and can be the machine can be easily readily applied to any cultivator of the type herein shown and described, no alteration or modification in the structure thereof being required.

I claim:

An attachment for pivoted axle cultivators comprising a bearing provided with openings adapted toreceive attaching bolts, a steering post journaled in said bearing and provided with a thrust collar to prevent movement of the post through the bearing in one direction, a steering arm fixed upon the lower end of said post and constituting a stop to prevent upward movement of the post, and links pivoted to the ends of the steering arm and adapted for connection to the projecting steering levers of a cultivator.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD LAVOIE.

lVitnesses HENRY F. RUEL, D. ROSENCRANTS. 

